NHTSA vehicle safety data

2001 Pontiac Bonneville Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2001 Pontiac Bonneville has no NHTSA recall campaigns and 129 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Pontiac dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2001 Pontiac Bonneville, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2001 Pontiac Bonneville owner complaints

Owners have filed 129 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Pontiac Bonneville, describing incidents dated August 11, 2000 to January 15, 2020.

Most-cited components

Steering 31 complaints
Engine 30 complaints
Power Train 17 complaints
Electrical System 16 complaints
Visibility/Wiper 15 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 14 complaints

Of the 129 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 20 a fire; across all 129 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11350207 · Filed August 19, 2020
MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE BACK IN JANUARY 2020 UNDER THE HOOD ON MY WAY TO WORK THE FIRE STARTED BEHIND THE VALE COVER GASKETS AND NOW OIL IS LEAKING ON THE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND GAS IS MIXING WITH THE OIL AND I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE HELP ME PLEASE.
ODI #11343664 · Filed August 6, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL OUT OF THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINER CAUSING A MISFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS…
ODI #11190448 · Filed March 21, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL BANGING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE BLEW UP AND PRODUCED A THICK CLOUD OF SMOKE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE…

Read all 129 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2001 Pontiac Bonneville in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA07-008: ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
Closed May 1, 2008
- Recall 08V-118
- Recall 09V-116
Engineering Analysis EA02-030: ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Closed March 9, 2004
- Recall 04V-090

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2001 Pontiac Bonneville as of November 3, 2026. New recalls can be issued at any time, so check the specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before buying.

2001 Pontiac Bonneville 4-DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

2 investigations

129 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2001 Pontiac Bonneville.

Electrical System; Engine; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11350207

Fire

Incident: January 5, 2020 · Filed: August 19, 2020

MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE BACK IN JANUARY 2020 UNDER THE HOOD ON MY WAY TO WORK THE FIRE STARTED BEHIND THE VALE COVER GASKETS AND NOW OIL IS LEAKING ON THE MANIFOLD GASKETS AND GAS IS MIXING WITH THE OIL AND I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR ANYMORE HELP ME PLEASE.

Fuel System, Gasoline; Power Train; Engine

ODI #11343664

Incident: January 15, 2020 · Filed: August 6, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL OUT OF THE VALVE COVER GASKET AND THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINER CAUSING A MISFIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED BUT FAILED TO PROPERLY ACCELERATE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE FUMES INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED EYE IRRITATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TPMS, CHECK ENGINE, SERVICE ENGINE, SEAT BELT, AND AIR BAGS WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER REFUELING, THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE FUEL READING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPARK PLUG RETAINER AND VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V238000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 264,000.

Engine

ODI #11190448

Fire

Incident: March 14, 2019 · Filed: March 21, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL BANGING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE BLEW UP AND PRODUCED A THICK CLOUD OF SMOKE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Air Bags

ODI #11175875

Crash 1 injury

Incident: February 8, 2019 · Filed: February 9, 2019

MY SON WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HIS AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.

Engine

ODI #10940205

Incident: August 10, 2015 · Filed: January 6, 2017

VALVE COVER GASKETS LEAKING OIL CAN GET ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSING AN ENGINE FIRE.

Service Brakes

ODI #10924920

Incident: May 1, 2016 · Filed: November 8, 2016

STEEL BRAKE LINES HAVE CORRODED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. BRAKE FLUID LEAKS

Engine

ODI #10786335

Fire

Incident: November 27, 2014 · Filed: October 27, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS INSERTED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Engine

ODI #10779022

Fire

Incident: September 28, 2015 · Filed: October 1, 2015

I HAD LEFT MY LIGHTS ON AND BATTERY WENT DEAD. WENT TO JUMP THE VEHICLE AND CHARGE THE BATTERY. CABLES CONNECTED CORRECTLY. WHEN I WENT TO START THE VEHICLE, I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION NOISE LIKE A BACK FIRE BUT SAW A FLAME THEN SMOKE OUT OF ENGINE. THE ENGINE HOOD WAS CLOSED SINCE THE BATTERY IS LOCATED UNDER THE BACK SEAT OR THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL OR A SERIOUS INJURY. THE FLAME MUST HAVE BEEN EXTINGUISHED BY THE FLUIDS? WHEN WE OPENED THE HOOD AFTER A SHORT PERIOD, WE FOUND THAT THEIR WAS SOME TYPE OF EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN MY DRIVEWAY

Unknown or Other

ODI #10747803

Incident: March 25, 2015 · Filed: August 11, 2015

I JUST CURRENTLY BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN MARCH WHEN I GOT NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING WAS ON A COUPLE DAYS LATER MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON SAYING THAT MY TRACK IS OFF ALSO WHEN I TRY TO GO OVER 50 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR SHAKES REALLY BAD I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE A MECHANIC TO LOOK AT IT AND IT HAPPEN TO ME 3 TIMES WHEN I TOOK IT THERE.

Steering

ODI #10681322

Incident: September 17, 2013 · Filed: February 4, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

Other Pontiac Bonneville model years

Check your 2001 Pontiac Bonneville VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Pontiac Bonneville at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Pontiac VIN